Helsinki To Tallinn Day Trip: What To See & Do

This post will share details of my Helsinki to Tallinn day trip.

As part of my 48-hour itinerary in Helsinki, I decided to spend one of those days in Tallinn, Estonia.

Crossing the border from Helsinki to Tallinn was the highlight of this trip.

I wouldn’t have willingly travelled to Northern Europe at the end of Summer, especially when I could visit a friendly country with 25-degree weather.

This trip marked my last one to Northern Europe, and with my upcoming trip to Iceland in December, it would mark the end of my exploration of the Nordic countries.

The only thing I can see myself coming back is probably through layovers.

It goes without saying that I was more excited about travelling to Tallinn than I was about exploring both Helsinki and Tallinn.

But surprisingly, Tallinn took me by surprise, and I definitely preferred it over Helsinki.

Like most capital cities, the essence has been overshadowed to make room for cosmopolitanism.

Fortunately, Tallinn still retains a bit of soul, making it a lot more interesting.

With that out of the way, let’s get into the details of this trip.

Here’s What To See & Do On A Helsinki To Tallinn Day Trip

For this trip, I went with Eckerö and Viking Line ferry companies.

After comparing companies on Ferryscanner, I chose these two because their arrival and departure times best suited my itinerary.

I didn’t want to spend more time than necessary, so I went with what was available.

Unfortunately, this meant that I couldn’t sail with the somewhat prestigious ‘Tallink’ ferry, which I was gutted about.

Ferry Tickets

Helsinki to Tallinn – €23

Tallinn to Helsinki – €23.50

I got my tickets directly from both the Eckerö and Viking Lines.

I was unnecessarily anxious about buying through a third party because it was my first time purchasing tickets directly without going through a tour company.

This anxiety ended up being unfounded because I’ve used the train equivalent ‘Trainline’ on various trips across Europe without any issues.

It was not necessary to buy the tickets separately, as the prices were the same across the board.

Anyway, I got my ticket confirmation via email, which also came with my boarding pass, so I didn’t need to check in on either leg of the trip.

I just needed to display the QR code at the boarding gate, and I could board the ferry.

Ferry Check In & Boarding

On the day of the trip, I made my way to the Port Terminal, which was about fifteen minutes away from my hotel via tram.

I took the distance to the port terminal for granted, as I left my hotel leisurely and almost missed the ferry.

Unfortunately, boarding for both ferries closes 20 – 30 minutes before departure, so you need to be quick.

After arriving at the terminal, I had to sprint down to the boarding gate with just a couple of minutes to spare.

Thankfully, I got there just in time before the gates were closed.

My Nike Vomeros came in so handy as I could sprint like I was running in clouds.

After passing through the boarding gate, I joined the boarding queue and made my way to the ferry.

As a result of the ferry being both a vehicle, cargo and passenger ferry, it was massive, hence the entrance took a few minutes as well.

It goes without saying that you need to arrive at the port terminal about an hour before departure, especially if you need to buy the tickets on site.

This is why it is essential to buy your tickets beforehand, which would save you all the hassle of checking in at the self-check-in machines.

Helsinki To Tallinn Ferry Journey

Travel time: 2hrs 15mins

After boarding the ferry and marvelling at its size, I immediately made my way to the sun deck, which was the 9th deck, to enjoy some views.

Bear in mind that this was a vehicle and passenger ferry, so the decks were split between cars, cabins and passengers.

There were only three decks that were dedicated to the passenger amenities, which included cafes, bars, and retail shopping areas.

After enjoying the views from the sun deck, I headed down to the 8th deck to find a place to sit because the wind was so strong, and I didn’t want to catch a cold without any head protection.

I found a spot to sit in one of the bars, bought some overpriced coffee, and had to endure the karaoke, which almost bled my ears out.

Thankfully, the journey went super fast and in about two hours and thirty minutes, we arrived at the Port of Tallinn.

Exploring Tallinn

After disembarking from the ferry, I immediately made my way to the front of the terminal to catch my Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Bus.

I had to time my arrival at 11.15 to ensure I could catch the next bus at 11:25.

Unfortunately, there was a bit of a mix-up with the departure time, so I had to wait for about ten minutes to catch the next bus.

It finally did, and I began exploring Tallinn.

This sightseeing bus had two routes: red and green lines, which ensured you saw most parts of the city and a bit of the outskirts.

The former took 55 minutes while the other took 85 minutes.

Best believe I sat in the bus for both routes to get the most of my money.

After going through both routes on one long loop, I had a couple of hours to spare, so I decided to grab some lunch and explore the old town on foot.

Thankfully, it was a ten-minute walk from the bus stop.

After seeing as much as I could and immediately seeing the similarities with Bruges in Belgium, I made my way back to the port terminal.

Unfortunately, there was no bus available that I could jump on back to the port, so I just took a twenty-minute walk instead.

I arrived at the terminal extremely early, with about an hour to spare, so I explored the area a bit before immediately boarding the ferry.

There was no way I was going to be late again.

Tallinn to Helsinki Ferry Journey

Travel time: 2hrs 30mins

On the return leg of the day trip, I chose the Viking Line, a decision I immediately regretted upon embarkation.

I should have taken an earlier ferry with Tallink instead.

Like I did on the previous journey, I went to the sun deck to bask in the views, but the stench that was around the deck was just terrible.

I mean, it was bearable, but I just knew I wasn’t going to spend the entire journey out there.

So I went down to the lower deck and found a cosy window nook beside the supermarket to keep myself.

I didn’t have much privacy since people were constantly coming and going, but the room was comfortable with a lovely sea view.

Additionally, its proximity to the passenger boarding entrance was a bonus.

Despite the height and sight of the seas, I did not experience any motion sickness like I had on my way to Gozo.

I wore motion sickness bands, but I doubt they did anything.

I figured the ship was so big that I couldn’t feel anything.

It also confirms to me that I might just be ready for my Caribbean cruise.

After ninety minutes, we arrived at the Port of Helsinki to winds and an incredible drop in temperature.

I immediately made my way back to my hotel because I did not need to be outside any more than I needed to.

Some Takeaways

• Since the journey is a short one, the quality of the ferry also determines your experience, so research all three ferry companies – Tallink, Viking and Eckerö – before booking.
• Bring your snacks and drinks to avoid buying anything overpriced onboard.
• Arrive early to ensure you find somewhere nice to sit. The views along the route are mostly uneventful, so consider finding a spot indoors to sit. You can go to the sun deck after arrival/departure for a panoramic view of both cities.
• Again, be time-conscious. When the ferry says they stop boarding 30 minutes before departure, they are quite prompt, so be on time.

In Conclusion

This Helsinki to Tallinn day trip was definitely one for the books.

I loved how completely different it was from the other cross-border trips I’ve taken.

I have also been able to test my motion sickness on different ships across various sizes, and this was a nice addition.

If you’re in the area exploring either the Baltic or Nordic region, this is a quick and easy day trip to include.